title: Malaria prevalence in north-eastern Nigeria: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence of malaria parasitemia in north-east Nigeria and to evaluate the measures for the prevention of malaria.
  
  
  METHODS
  A village in north-eastern Nigeria was selected for the cross sectional study at the height of the rainy season in October 2011. A total of 550 inhabitants of a hamlet were recruited for this study. After obtaining the consent individuals received a structured interview and were tested for malaria parasites in their blood films. Recruits testing positive for malaria were given a course of artemesinin-based combination therapy (ACT).
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 497 inhabitants representing approximately 90 percent of the population participated: a quarter of the study group carried malaria parasitesexclusively Plasmodium falciparum(P. falciparum)-representing a P. falciparum parasite rate (PfPR) of 24.5%. Besides, 53/138 in the age group of 2 to < 10 years old children tested positive for P. falciparum representing a PfPR2-10 value of 38.4%. Malaria control measures were used in just under a third (157/497) of this cohort. Despite these measures 28/157 (17.8%) still tested positive for P. falciparum.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The malaria burden is overestimated for this region in north-east Nigeria. The findings support an intermediate pattern of malaria endemicity. The 30% bed nets coverage for malaria control is well below the WHO estimates for 2011.
authors.affiliation: Diagnostic Center MMM group & Specialist Hospital Yola, Hospital Road, P.M.B. 2266, Yola, Adamawa State, Nigeria. Electronic address: chhouben@web.de.
authors.forename: C H
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Houben
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Fleischmann
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gückel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D000962:Antimalarials / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004197:Disease Reservoirs; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D057148:Insecticide-Treated Bednets / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008288:Malaria; D016778:Malaria, Falciparum / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000276:immunology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008403:Mass Screening; D008875:Middle Aged; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D009549:Nigeria / Q000453:epidemiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010963:Plasmodium falciparum / Q000276:immunology / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012621:Seasons; D016036:Seroepidemiologic Studies; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D000962:Antimalarials
keywords: Malaria control; Malaria endemicity; Malaria prevalence; Malaria transmission